Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar introduced a scheme for advance subsidies for farmers who are doing fish farming business in the state.
During a workshop for shrimp farmers in Sirsa district, Khattar said if there is any delay in the subsidy coming from the Central government then the state government will give an advance subsidy to the farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
Chief Minister also announced the opening of a testing lab for this business in Sirsa. Since the farmers in this district had to travel specifically to Rohtak for the lab testing facilities in the past, this will directly help the local farmers who are engaged in this business.
He continued by announcing the opening of a wholesale fish market for the buying and sale of fish in either the Jhajjar or Gurugram district. This would ensure the farmers' financial growth.
The government is also providing the facility of credit cards to fish farmers like the Kisan Credit Card. Similarly, Khattar said, the government is also in talks with banks and insurance providers about facilities insurance options for fisheries.
Chief Minister pointed out that Power consumption is a significant problem in fish farming. Currently, the government is providing electricity to farmers with a 20 kilowatt consumption at a cost of Rs.4.75 per unit. Additionally, fish farmers are permitted to build solar plants on their properties with a subsidy of Rs 20,000 per horsepower and a maximum of Rs 2 lakh.
The benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, according to Khattar, will be available for the next three years. "Shrimp is exported in large quantities. This brings in foreign exchange, which is crucial for India's economic development” he said.
"We are continuously promoting the production of shrimp in saline land and waterlogged areas in Haryana. The overall area used for shrimp farming in 2014–15 was 70 acres, and the total production was just 140 MT (metric tonnes). These numbers have already climbed to 1250 acres, and the production will rise to 2900 MT in 2021–22” Chief Minister said.
